University Chronicle Extras:
Movies
|
Rate a Pic
|
Horoscopes
|
Career
|
Scholarships
|
Travel
|
GradZone
News
Briefly
Calendar of Events
Commentary
Sports
Diversions
World News
Classifieds
Login
Letter Submission
Search
Archive
Publishing Policy
Mail Subscriptions
St. Cloud State University
College Publisher
Home
>
News
Insurance fee burdens some
By Ting-Feng Hu
Published:
Monday, April 19, 2004
As the registration period begins for fall semester, international students may encounter some difficulties in getting into classes.
International students' registration problems are a little different from what a traditional student might encounter.
The frustration is due to the yearly increase cost of health insurance that students have to pay.
This year, international students have to pay $822 before they register. The amount must be paid in full. Like tuition, health insurance increases yearly.
"For health insurance, they have to pay it in a lump sum before they register and that is difficult," said Sarah Speir, director of international student and scholar services. "We're aware that it's a frustrating situation because it's a lot to come up with at one time."
Due to the financial holds, international students can turn to the Center for International Studies (CIS) for guidance.
"We can't do a lot about the tuition balances because that's something the Business Office controls," she said. "Basically, they have to come up with it (money)."
Thus, it is part of CIS' job to assist students in such a situation.
"We're looking into other options of if there's a way we can have students paying it in segments or pay it closer to registration, or put it right into tuition so that when you pay your first tuition payment, it covers your insurance," she said. "Right now, we know it's a problem but we're looking at different alternatives that might be better solutions to what we have."
The issue of health insurance at SCSU is hard to tackle because it is based on the Minnesota State Colleges and University (MnSCU) system.
"It's not just our campus; we're part of the larger system of campuses of Minnesota system," Speir said. "So it has to be done on a larger basis if there's any changes made. It's not really up to us to make those changes. It has to go through several places."
On the other hand, Speir also brought up the issue of students being unrealistic about the costs that are incurred in studying here.
"I think the biggest problem is that students have to be more realistic about the funds that it takes to come here. Students are not aware of health insurances being as holds if they don't pay. We do things like send out information fairly frequently about things they should expect. They've got to check their e-mails because we communicate with our students a lot through their Huskynet e-mail accounts about certain things that are happening."����������
When international students are accepted to SCSU they are sent an I-20 which contains tuition and insurance fees.
"The other concerns we have is that when students are issued an I-20, it's on the basis that they have the amount of funds that they said they have to live here," Speir said. "I'm not sure that is always taken as realistically. I think sometimes students don't really have that amount of funds."
In regard to registration problems and outstanding fees, international students have a lot to say.
"The Americans don't face this problem. That is why they get to register for their classes earlier. International students don't get classes they want," senior Priscilla Patrick said. "Health insurance is so expensive, it doesn't cover most of the sickness for the international students because they end up paying medication when they pay a visit to the doctor."
Eight hundred dollars is a significant sum of money, said senior Wen How Chan.
"This year, we have to pay like $800 over. For me, it is a huge amount of money," Chan said. "I just can't come up with $800 just like that."
Forum:
No comments have been posted for this story.
Post a comment
